Overflow preventing apparatus



I May ll, 193 7.- w. H. FINLEY OVERFLOW PREVENTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 20

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l He. 3

INVENIOR %6 0 Patented May 11, 1937 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE Claims.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple and positively acting means for preventing over-flow .of water-closets and the like, as when the discharge passage, leading to the sewer, becomes clogged.

An important object is to provide an over-'flow preventing apparatus, wherein the likelihood of failure, due to the apparatus remaining nonoperative for months and possibly years, is extremely remote.

Another object is to provide an over-flowpreventing apparatus for water-closets, which may be inexpensively made and which will not interiere in any way with the normal flushing operation.

A further object is to provide an over-flow-preventing arrangement, wherein all the essential Operating parts are so arranged as not to invite tampering therewith by unauthorized persons, yet which may nevertheless, as at stated inter- Vals, be fully inspected without danger of disarranging the Operating parts.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description, relating to the accompanying drawings, showing the preerred form. The essential novel characteristics are summarized in the claims.

Referrng to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a water-closet of a common type, showing a desirable location for the principal Operating parts of the apparatus hereof; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of such water-closet and a flush tank therefor, the view showing, diagrammatically, the connections between the fiush tank and the overfiow preventing apparatus on the bowl, and Figs. 3 and 4 are relatively enlarged ragmentary sectional views, taken as indicated by the line 3-3 on Fig. 1, and showing the apparatus in normal and Operating conditions, respectively.

The bowl and flush-tank herein shown are by way of example only.

The bowl shown at l has the usual water inlet pipe at 2, leading into an enlarged cavity 3 having the usual branch passages, as at 301 and 3b leading to the basin portion of the bowl. The usual trapped discharge passage of the bowl is indicated at 4.

The inlet pipe 2, as shown in Fig. 2, is supplied with water to flush the bowl, as by a suitable syphon 'l located. in a tank 6, the syphon having an up-leg 8 with its open end in spaced relation to the bottom of the tank, a wier portion or elbow 9, and down-log o connected with the inlet pipe 2 of the bowl.

As shown in the prior application of Walter H. Finley and Charles H. Hamilton, Serial No. 49,210, filed November 11, 1935, such syphon may be rendered operative as a result of a simple manual operation controlling a valve which supplies water or water and air into the up-leg of the syphon, as through a tube l l, a portion only of which is shown. The controlling valve (not herein shown) for the jet may be of any construction and, as a matter of fact, the syphon may be primed or rendered operative in any other known or suitable way. p

Associated with the wier portion of the syphon is a syphon-breaker tube !2, connected as by a T fitting [3 with the wier of the syphon and which, when the water level in the tank 6 recedes to the open lower end of the tube [2, functions to break the vacuum of the syphon and stop the flushing operation.

The apparatus hereof in the form shown is located principally in a cavity [5 which may be formed in the porcelain of the bowl near its upper rim and which communicates with the interior of the bowl, well above the normal water level thereof, as by reason of a fairly wide lateral passage !6, as illustrated in all figures. The passage [5 is fiush with the bottom wall of the cavity, and is slightly inclined, as shown.

The cavity !5 may be closed at the top by a suitable cap IT, appropriately secured over the cavity; suitable screws !8 being shown, engaging lead plugs !9 set into the porcelain. An appropriate air vent Ha may be formed in the cap, e. g.

Carried on the bottom wall of the cavity |5 is a pedestal 20, at the top of which there is a basin or cup 2l which is open only at its top. The basin contains a pool or bath of mercury, the level of which is controlled as will be hereinafter described, and the mercury functions normally to seal the lower end of a tube 23, said tube extending downwardly a short distance below the rim of the cup. The tube 23, as shown, extends into the cavity !5, as through a fitting 22, and the upper end of the tube similarly enters the tank 6 and extends into communication with the syphon, as by way of the T l3 which carries the vacuum breaker tube 12.

Located within the basin 2l and preferably entirely submerged in the mercury bath is an annular displacement ring 21, which is free to rise and fall in the basin under the control of an annular fioat 23 surrounding the pedestal 20. The ring may be connected to the float by suitable circumferentially spaced arms 49, reaching upwardly over the rim of the basin for connection with the ring 27. The pedestal loosely guides the fioat 28 and the arms 28, adequate clearance being provided so that the float, ring and connecting arms will be certain to move freely when the occasion arises. While the rim of the basin is, as shown, well above the mercury level (see Fig. 3), it could terminate nearly adjacent said level, so that the basin will hold just the right amount of mercury and no more.

All metal parts of the apparatus which may touch the mercury are preferably stainless steel to avoid amalgamation of the mercury therewith. Alternatively, the metal parts may be protected by vitreous enamel or other mercury-proof coating. The pedestal 26 and basin Zi may also be made of porcelain, say integral with the bowl, although this is not usually as satisfactory from the standpoint of mauacture because it is d'fiicult to hold fairly close limits in manufacturing porcelain parts.

The weight of the fioat and parts connected therewith is such that the displacement ring will sink to the bottom of the mercury bath or will sink until stopped by suitable abutment means which may be provided on any desired or appropriate portion of the ring and float assembly. For example, spaced abutments may be provided on the base fiange of the pedestal, (for engaging the bottom of the float) and these may be made adjustable if for any reason a fine adjustment of the mercury level with respect to the end of the tube 23 is desired or found necessary.

The operation of the apparatus is simply that if the water level in the bowl at any time reaches a 'height 'somewhat above the lower portion of the fioat 23, then the float will be lifted, as indicated in Fig. 4, the fioat in turn lifting the displacement ring 2? and thereby lowering the mercury in the basin until it no longer seals the lower end of the tube 23. With the parts proportioned as shown, only a slight raising of the ring from the mercury bath is sueient to lower the mercury level to a point where it unseals the tube. If the syphon happens to be Operating at the time the lower end of the tube 23 is unsealed, its vacuum will be broken and the syphon will cease to function. If, on the other hand, an attempt is made to fiush the closet by means of actuating the syphon, at a time when the water level in the bowl is, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the syphon cannot be so actuated, because its vacuum remains broken through the tube 23.

As the guide in proportioning the parts, a satisfactorily .Operating arrangement may be made, using the ratio of 1:23 between the inner diameter of the tube 23 and the inner diameter of the basin Zi, and the mercury may submerge the end of the tube to about %th of an inch. With the proportions of the tube and basin diameter and 'the depth of mercury seal above given, should Water tend to accumulate in the tube to more than a height of about two inches, its weight will displace the mercury in the in- `'side of the tube and allow the trapped water to escape and flow out over the rim of the basin. This is because a .14 inch head of mercury in the tube equals such 2-inch water column. The displacement of the mercury from the tube would only raise the level in the basin (outside of the tube) about 4/100ths of an inch,--in

other words, 'not sumcient to cause any of the mercury tooverfiow the basin and be lost.

In connection with the likelihood of water standing in the tube, it should be noted that this is a condition unlikely to occur, because in order for water to` get to the tube 23 it must first pass the entrance to the vacuum breaker tube l2, T iS, and in so doing will usually be trapped by the tube 92 and prevented from entering the tube 23. If desired, a slight rise may be placed in the upper end of the tube 23 adjacent the point where it enters the T to further reduce likelihood of water entering the tube 23.

Since the main operation of the mercury seal is to prevent normally the admission of air to the syphon 'l' during the flushing operation, there must be sufiicient mercury in the basin, closing and sealing the end of the tube 23, so that the suction on the tube 23 incident to the operation of the syphon, cannot suck the mercury from the basin and thereby unseal the tube. With the proportions given, the mercury inside the tube would have to rise 2 and &ths inches before the level of the mercury outside of the tube would be reduced to a point below the end of the tube. Since 2 and %ths inches of mercury represent approximately a 32-inch water column, it is quite evident that the syphon 'E can never set up sufcient suction or vacuum to break the mercury seal.

In order to further insure that the fioat assembly will not become stuck in place, as by accumulation of foreign matter around the oat or arms 29, provision is made to bathe said parts with clean water each time the bowl is flushed. This, as shown, comprises a small passage 35, leading from the inlet space 3 near the rim of the bowl, to within the' cavity l. The passage 35, as shown, discharges over the float at one side of it, and water from the passage by normally impinging on the float slightly disturbs it and the entire float assembly, thereby further tending to insure its freedom of operation when the occasion arises, even though such does not occur for years after the apparatus is installed. The flushing water is, of course, immediately discharged through the passage 16 into the bowl passage, means to supply the receptacle with;

liquid to fiush the same, said means including a syphon, and means rendered operative by a predetermined abnormal rise in the liquid level of the receptacle, said means functioning to break the' Operating vacuum of the syphon.

3. In combination, a water-closet bowl, means including a syphon to supply the bowl with water to fiush the same, a fioat arranged to be operated by water in the bowl when the same reaches an abnormally high level, and means actuated by a predetermined raising movement of the fioat to break the Operating vacuum of the syphon and thereby disable its operation.

4. In combination, a bowl having a drain passage, means to fiush the bowl, a tube having one end pneumatically associated with said means in a manner to disable the operation of 'said means when the tube is opened at its opposite end, said tube being normally sealed at said opposite end, and means arranged to -unseal said-end when the liquid level in the bowl reaches a prdetermlned abnormal height.

5. In combination, a bowl having a drain passage, means to flush the bowl, a tube associated with said means, said tube being operably arranged to disable said means pneumatically when the tube is opened at one end, a fluid seal normally closing said end of the tube so as to prevent the disabling operation from taking place, and means lo arranged to act on the seal to open said end of the tube when the liquid level in the bowl reaches a predetermined abnormal height.

6. In combination, a bowl having a drain passage, means including a flush tank and syphon therein to fiush the bowl, a tube having one end connected with the syphon in a manner to disable its operation by admitting air to the syphon, means normally sealing the opposite end of the tube, and means actng on the sealing means to unseal said opposite end consequent upon the liquid level in the bowl reaching a predetermined height.

7. In combination, a water-closet bowl, means to supply the bowl With water to flush the same, a fioat chamber laterally communicating with the bowl, a fioat movably mounted in the chamber, a mercury bath in said chamber a displacement member in said bath operatively connected with *the fioat so as to be raised relative to the mercury when the fioat is raised, thereby lowering the mercury level, and a tube having its lower end normally sealed by said bath and being unsealed when said member is raised, said tube being operatively connected with the supply means in a manner to disable the same, when the tube is unsealed by the mercury.

8. In combination with a water-closet bowl, a

cavity formed in the body of said bowl, a lateral passage communicating the interier of the bowl, with said cavity, a fioat operated means in said cavity including a mercury bath, a tube having an open lower endnormally immersed in said bath, said tube pneumaticaHy disabling the supply means for fiushing the bowl whenever the said end of the tube is unsealed, and means so ar-, ranged that the fioat lowers the mercury in sad bath to a point below the normally immersed end of the tube consequent upon water in the bowl reaching a predetermined abnormally high level.

9. In combination, a receptacle having a drain means to supply liquid to the receptacle to fiush the same, a fioat chamber laterally communicating with the receptacle, a column in the fioat chamber, a fioat in the chamber guided for vertical movementby the column, a mercury bath at the top of the column, a displacement ring in said bath connected with the fioat and a tube having its lower end normally immersed in said bath, said tube operatively connected with the supply means in a manner to disable the same when the tube is unsealed by the mercury.

10. In combination, a water closet bowl, means operative to supply water to the bowl to fiush it, a fioat chamber above the normal water level of the bowl and communicating with the bowl, a fioat apparatus in the chamber, means operatively associated with the apparatus and controlled thereby to prevent operation of the supply means when the fioat is raised by water in the bowl reaching an abnormally high level, and means for fiushing the fioat chamber whenever the bowl is fiushed.

WALTER. H. FINLEY. 

